Diving in St. Lucia

A Green Gem in a Sea of Color

The island that is fast becoming the honeymoon capital of the Caribbean will also provide divers with pleasant memories. The sloping reefs and walls that run close to St. Lucia's calm western coast are covered in vibrant multi-hued carpets of gorgonians, black coral trees, sponges and lace coral. Intricate crevices and fissures carve these surfaces into habitats for a wealth of reef fish and invertebrates, while nearby pinnacles rise from the deep water to attract swirling schools of both predators and prey. Shipwrecks and a mysterious serpentine creature known as “The Thing” add to the allure of a topside landscape that is also known for its stunning natural beauty.

Highlights

Best for: All divers, macro photographers

Best season to visit: Year round

Weather: Steady trade winds account for relatively minor differences in seasonal air temperatures, which range from the 70s into the mid 80s. Rain showers are less common from December to May

Things to Do

St. Lucia Information

About Diving in St. Lucia

Most dive sites are close to shore, where narrow coastal ledges at depths of 15 to 30 feet transition to slopes. The majority of these sites are accessed by boat, but there are also several excellent shore dives. Some slopes are gentle and lead to intermediate depths, others are steep to vertical, and drop to depths below 100 feet. Additional features include pinnacles, boulder fields and underwater canyons. St. Lucia is known for colorful sponges, hard and soft coral growths, and for a high diversity of reef-dwelling species. Water temperatures follow a narrow seasonal range from 78 to 82 degrees.

Diving in St. Lucia Tips

St. Lucia offers a wide variety of diving experiences that could count towards advanced and specialty certifications, including drift, wreck, shore, night and deep profiles. Benign conditions put all of these experiences within the grasp of most every diver, making this a great destination to expand your diving horizons.

Best Places to Dive in St. Lucia

Whether you arrive by boat or wade in from shore, the coral slopes of Anse Chastanet never fail to delight. Adrift along the wall at Fairyland reveals a riot of brightly colored sponges and corals. The Keyhole Pinnacles rise from the depths to attract fish to slopes covered in black and orange sea fans. The wreck of the Leslie M is a wreck dive for all, while a deeper dive reveals the twisted machinery of the Daini Koyomaru. Divers can imagine they are soaring along the submerged base of Petit Piton when propelled by the currents at Superman's Flight.

What to Pack for Diving in St. Lucia

A 3mm wetsuit will suffice year-round. Though dives are guided, a surface marker is a good insurance on drift dives. A muck stick will help stabilize as you approach reefs for closer looks at small creatures. A small narrow-bean light will illuminate the crevices.

Specials

Dive

Saint Lucia

bodyholiday Saint Lucia

CASTRIES - 40 PERCENT OFF includes 7 night luxury accommodations, 5 days of 2-tank dives, one free dive, Shore diving as scheduled, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily including beverages and wine served with lunch and dinner, one 50 min treatment per day from select menu, free WiFi, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges. Valid 5/27/18-6/30/18. Book by 5/31/18.

Resorts

Dive

Saint Lucia

Marigot Beach Club & Dive Resort

MARIGOT BAY - Uniquely situated in a stunning and secluded part of St Lucia that's only accessible by boat, Marigot Beach Club and Dive Resort is nestled in lush tropical rainforest overlooking one of the most beautiful and exotic bays in the world. From the veranda of your studio or villa you'll enjoy spectacular St Lucian sunsets, and within a few steps you'll be on our palm-fringed white sand beach, sipping exotic cocktails from Doolittle's Restaurant and Bar.

Saint Lucia

Jade Mountain

SOUFRIERE - Rising majestically above the 600 acre beach front resort of Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain Resort on St. Lucia’s south-western Caribbean coastline is a cornucopia of organic architecture celebrating St. Lucia’s stunning scenic beauty. Expect grand sweeping spaces where bedroom, living area and an extravagant private infinity pool glide into one another to form extraordinary platforms floating out into nature. With the fourth wall entirely absent, Jade Mountain’s sanctuaries are stage-like settings from which to embrace the full glory of St. Lucia’s Pitons World Heritage Site, and of course, the eternal Caribbean Sea.

Saint Lucia

bodyholiday Saint Lucia

CASTRIES - The bodyholiday Saint Lucia is an amazing St Lucia resort experience. It is a unique combination of one of the world’s most beautiful islands, an all inclusive resort that provides a truly luxurious and personal service, a Wellness Centre that provides a range of treatments that will leave you feeling alive and a range of activities that could keep you busy from dawn until dusk.

Saint Lucia

Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort

RODNEY BAY - SANDALS GRANDE ST. LUCIAN SPA AND BEACH RESORT Escape to your very own peninsula that juts out into the remarkable Caribbean Sea and gives you panoramic views from every single vantage point imaginable. On one side, gaze out at enormous Rodney Bay, with colorful sailboats and backed by volcanic mountains. On the other side, the sparkling sea and far-off shores of Martinique will mystify you. Everywhere you look–there are amazing sites to be seen at the Sandals Grande St. Lucian. Sandals includes unlimited diving and the Caribbean’s most comprehensive resort scuba diving program. Get ready to experience a whole new underwater world. **Call for the best available rate**

Saint Lucia

Ti Kaye Resort & Spa

ANSE COCHON - Nestled on the cliffside in one of the best snorkeling and shore diving bays in St.Lucia, Anse Cochon cove. In 2012 it was one of the top resorts in St. Lucia for romance and with only 33 rooms (14 adjoining, 19 private and 11 of those with private plunge pools), is one of the ultimate place to relax in luxury cottages with beautiful views and sunsets across the Caribbean sea, amazing personable staff, unbelievable spa treatments in our Kai Koko Spa.

Saint Lucia

Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort

GROS INLET- From the friendly and approachable staff, to the white sand along the Caribbean Sea, to the hillside Villas offering stunning views of the ocean. Windjammer Landing is ideal for your next dive vacation. An independent, one-of-a-kind resort, once you experience the personal touch at Windjammer Landing, you’ll never want to leave.

Saint Lucia

Jade Mountain

SOUFRIERE - Rising majestically above the 600 acre beach front resort of Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain Resort on St. Lucia’s south-western Caribbean coastline is a cornucopia of organic architecture celebrating St. Lucia’s stunning scenic beauty. Expect grand sweeping spaces where bedroom, living area and an extravagant private infinity pool glide into one another to form extraordinary platforms floating out into nature. With the fourth wall entirely absent, Jade Mountain’s sanctuaries are stage-like settings from which to embrace the full glory of St. Lucia’s Pitons World Heritage Site, and of course, the eternal Caribbean Sea.

Diving in St. Lucia

St. Lucia is kind to divers seeking easy explorations of colorful reefs. But it is equally accommodating of those who want to ride the currents or explore the depths. Sites on the island's west coast to the north of the town of Castries and near the Pigeon Island National Monument offer some of the most relaxed diving environments. This area includes a number of shallow reefs that can be accessed from shore, with slopes that begin at depths of 15 to 20 feet and drop gradually to 40 to 60 feet, with numerous trenches and shelves to explore. Also in the area are several exposed rock islands that rise from an intermediate sand bottom, with profiles that attract eagle rays, barracuda, kingfish and schooling snapper and jacks. Near Pigeon Island, a field of large boulders provides hiding places for moray eels and a variety of crustaceans. Close to the entrance of Castries Harbor, the broken remains of a World War II-era vessel sit at a depth of 45 feet, creating habitat for lobster and shy marine life. The underwater landscape transitions to steeper slopes as you move south, and many of St. Lucia's most popular and dramatic dive sites are situated on the west-central coast of Anse Cochon and the Anse Chastanet region. This area includes two wrecks and a range of walls, pinnacles and reefs slopes with vertical drops of more than 100 feet. Mild currents are encountered at some sites, making for enjoyable drift diving opportunities. Notable sites include Anse La Raye Wall, where eagle rays often follow divers on a drift along a sloping wall that drops to a depth of 110 feet. Anse Cochon delivers walls, pinnacles, coral heads, boulder fields and sandy shallows on a single dive, and the semi-circular Turtle Reef is covered in the large barrel sponges that are a signature of many St. Lucia dive sites. Nearby, the 165-foot cargo vessel Leslie M sits upright at a depth of 65 feet. The open hold and shallow pilothouse of this wreck are ideal for first-time wreck divers and a good place to search for small marine life. A mile to the west, a huge abandoned dredge, the Daini Koyomaru, sits on its side at a depth of 100 feet, with its machinery intact and awaiting exploration. St. Lucia's most famous dive sites are found near the twin volcanic spires known as the Pitons. Most famous is the House Reef at Anse Chastanet, which is done both as a shore dive from the resort of the same name, or by boat. Dropping from depths of 25 feet to beyond 140, this reef supports more than 150 species of fish, including a rarely-seen creature known as “the thing,” which resembles a giant worm. An adjacent site that is the subject of countless photographs is the projecting point known as Fairy Land, where more frequent currents nurture riotous, multi-color growths of soft corals and sponges. Two of the island's more adventurous sites are also nearby. Superman's flight is a drift dive along a wall at the base of Petit Piton that carries divers along a wall that plunges to more than 1,000 feet. With typically excellent visibility, this profile creates the sensation of weightless flight. The Keyhole Pinnacles are a group of four tall spires that perch close together on the edge of a steep slope, reaching almost to the surface. Divers can swim into the narrow gaps between these monolithic formations to discover a wealth of fish and invertebrates.

Passport and/or Visa Requirements

U.S. citizens need a valid passport that must be valid 6 months beyond the date of entry into St. Lucia, with available space for entry stamp. No visa is required with proof of onward or return ticket and accommodation confirmation. Check the entry/exit requirements here. A departure tax of $68EC, approx $25.30 should be included in your international airline ticket.

Immunizations

Vaccinations are not required for entering the Caribbean if you're coming from the United States. Before traveling check with the CDC here.

Culture and Customs

St. Lucia is a land of vibrant greens set in a sapphire sea. Rainforests cover the island's interior, providing vacationers with a variety of eco-adventures that range from sedate birding hikes and relaxing rides on an aerial tram to off-road adventures and soaring zip line flights through forested canopies home to endemic birds such as the St. Lucia parrot. The lush surroundings also set the stage for a number of unique resort properties that blend luxury and nature, and provide some of the best dining experiences in the Caribbean. The island's rich volcanic soil yields a cornucopia of tropical fruits and vegetables. This bounty is reflected in the savory dishes of traditional Creole cooking, and it has inspired a new wave of organic and fusion cuisines that have earned island chef's top honors in international culinary competitions. In addition to enlivening resort kitchens, St. Lucia's farms and orchards support a thriving agricultural export sector that includes bananas and chocolate. One of the island's sweetest day trips involves a tour of historic cacao plantations, followed by a chance to create your own chocolate confections. Across the island English influences are obvious, but so too are the cultural contributions of France and Africa. The local version of relaxing is known as “going on the lime” or “liming,” which simply involves stopping by a favorite local pub or rum shop and spending time with friends.

Electricity, Phone and Internet Access

St. Lucia runs on 220 to 230-volt AC (50 cycles), so bring an adapter if you plan to use U.S. appliances. Some hotels are wired for U.S. appliances.

Check with your local provider to see what plans are available, otherwise, you will be subject to roaming charges. The country/area code for Saint Lucia is 758.

Many hotels offer WiFi.

Water Quality

The local tap water is chlorinated and considered safe to drink. Alternatively, bottled water is available for purchase at restaurants, bars, hotels and local grocery stores.

Language & Currency

English is the official language, but islanders often speak a French-Creole patois or Kweyol similar to that heard on Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Grenada and Dominica.

The currency in St. Lucia is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, (EC$). You can see the current exchange rate here. However, nearly all hotels, restaurants, and shops accept US dollars. Change may be given in EC Dollars. ATMs are available which dispense EC dollars and credit cards are widely accepted.

Time

Saint Lucia is on Atlantic Standard Time (AST) and does not observe Daylight Savings Time. St. Lucia is 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-4 GMT).

Location, Size and Population

St. Lucia is a sovereign island country in the Eastern Caribbean that is part of the Lesser Antilles. St. Lucia is a mountainous island of 238 sq. miles, located about 25 miles north of St. Vincent and 25 miles south of Martinique and northwest of Barbados.